If you hear an animal in your chimney, keep the damper closed, don’t light a fire, and don’t seal the top of the chimney. Find out what kind of animal it is first. Chimney swifts are federally protected and can’t be disturbed while nesting, and raccoons often have young with them. Once the animals are out, have the chimney cleaned and inspected, then install a chimney cap to stop it happening again.
Spring is nesting season. To a raccoon, squirrel or bird, an uncapped chimney is a dry, sheltered spot with no predators. In Connecticut, animal problems are most common from late March through June.
What Should You Do If You Hear Birds or Squirrels in Your Chimney?
Act quickly, but carefully.
- Keep the damper and fireplace doors closed so the animal can’t get into the house.
- Don’t light a fire or use smoke to drive it out. Animals can get trapped and die in the flue, and burning nest material can block the chimney or start a chimney fire.
- Don’t seal the top of the chimney. You could trap adults or separate a mother from her young.
- Keep children and pets away from the fireplace.
- Don’t reach in or open the damper to look. A frightened animal can bite or scratch.
If an animal gets loose in the house, open a door or window to the outside, leave the room and close the door behind you. For a bird, close interior doors, turn off the lights in the room, and let it find the open exit. If an animal appears sick or has bitten or scratched anyone, contact your local animal control officer.
What Is It? Clues From the Sounds
- Chirping, especially at dawn and dusk, or a twittering “roar” when parents arrive at the nest: likely birds, often chimney swifts
- Heavy thumping, chattering or crying at night: likely a raccoon, possibly with babies
- Light scratching and scurrying during the day: likely squirrels
Sound carries strangely in a chimney, so treat this as a starting point.
What Are the Best Ways to Get Animals Out of Your Chimney Safely?
The safe method depends on the animal. In every case, the goal is to let the animal leave, not to force it out.
Chimney swifts: wait
Chimney swifts are small, dark birds that nest inside chimneys. They spend the summer in Connecticut and migrate to South America in the fall.
They’re protected under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which means an active nest can’t be removed or disturbed. The good news: swifts don’t cause damage, they eat huge numbers of insects, and they leave on their own. Nesting takes about a month or more, and they’re gone by early fall.
What to do: keep the damper closed, put up with the chirping, then have the chimney cleaned and capped after they’ve gone.
Raccoons: check for babies first
Raccoons often use chimneys as a den to raise their young in spring. If you remove or exclude the mother while the babies are still inside, they’ll be left behind.
Raccoons can also carry rabies, so this is not a DIY job. Connecticut DEEP licenses Nuisance Wildlife Control Operators (NWCOs) to evict raccoons from a chimney, and it doesn’t allow trapped raccoons to be relocated, which is another reason to use a licensed professional.
Often the mother will move her young out on her own once they’re old enough, which is usually when they’re around 8 weeks old. A wildlife professional can tell you whether to wait or help them along.
Squirrels and birds that fell in: give them a way out
Squirrels that fall into a chimney often can’t climb back out of a smooth liner. They end up on the smoke shelf or damper. The same can happen to birds.
A wildlife or chimney professional can give the animal a way out, often by lowering a rope down the flue from the top so it can climb up. Don’t open the damper to let it into the house, and don’t go up on the roof yourself.
What Kind of Professional Should You Call for Animals in Your Chimney?
You may need more than one, depending on the stage of the problem. A chimney company and a wildlife professional do different jobs.
| Job | Who does it |
|---|---|
| Identifying the animal and removing or excluding it | Licensed Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator |
| An injured animal, or orphaned young | Licensed wildlife rehabilitator, or Connecticut DEEP Wildlife Division for advice |
| An animal that is sick or has bitten someone | Local animal control officer |
| Removing nests and debris after the animals are gone | Chimney company |
| Checking for damage to the liner, damper or cap | Chimney company |
| Installing a cap to keep animals out | Chimney company |
Some companies handle both parts. Ask exactly what’s included, and make sure whoever removes the animals is licensed to do so.
After They’re Gone: Clean, Inspect, Cap
Nests, droppings and debris left behind are a fire hazard and can block the flue. Animal droppings can also carry disease, so they should be cleaned out professionally, not swept up by hand or vacuumed. Learn more about our Chimney Cleaning services.
Then comes the most important step: a chimney cap. A properly fitted cap with mesh sides keeps animals out while letting smoke escape. It also keeps out rain and leaves.
Never install a cap until you’re sure the chimney is empty.
What Are the Best Methods to Prevent Animals From Getting Into Your Chimney?
Nearly every chimney that has an animal problem is missing a cap, or has one that is rusted, bent or the wrong size. Prevention is mostly about the cap and routine upkeep.
- Install a properly fitted cap with mesh around the sides.
- Check the cap every year. A loose, rusted or bent cap can be pulled off or pushed aside, especially by raccoons.
- Have the chimney inspected and cleaned annually, so a nest is caught before it grows or blocks the flue.
- Trim branches that touch the roof or hang over the chimney, which squirrels use as a bridge.
- Fix gaps in the crown or chase cover that animals can use to get in.
- Don’t leave the damper open when the fireplace isn’t in use.
What Are the Best Chimney Caps to Keep Birds and Squirrels Out?
The best cap is one that fits your flue, is made of durable metal, and is fastened securely. A basic cap is not enough for a determined animal. Look for:
- Strong, rust-resistant metal. Stainless steel and copper last. Galvanized steel rusts sooner, and a rusted cap is easier to pry off.
- Fine mesh on all sides. The mesh should be small enough to keep out birds and squirrels. Many caps use mesh with openings of about 1/2 inch or smaller, which also stops sparks.
- A secure fit. The cap should be fastened to the flue or crown, not simply set on top, so a raccoon can’t lift it off.
- The right size. A cap that’s too small leaves gaps, and one that’s too tight can restrict the draft. For a chimney with several flues, each flue needs its own cap, or a single cap that covers the whole chimney top.
- A solid top. It keeps out rain as well as animals.
A professional can measure and fit the right style for your chimney. A cap that’s well fitted also protects against water entering the flue.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best ways to get animals out of your chimney safely?
Let them leave on their own where you can, and call a licensed professional where you can’t. Keep the damper closed, don’t use smoke or fire, and don’t seal the top. Chimney swifts leave by early fall, and raccoons and squirrels should be handled by a licensed wildlife control operator.
What should I do if I hear birds or squirrels in my chimney?
Keep the damper and fireplace doors closed, don’t light a fire, and don’t seal the top of the chimney. Work out what animal it is and call the right professional. Wait to clean and cap the chimney until the animals are gone.
What are the best methods to prevent animals from getting into your chimney?
Install a properly fitted, secure cap with mesh sides, check it every year, have the chimney inspected and cleaned annually, trim overhanging branches and repair gaps in the crown.
What kind of professional should I call for animals in my chimney?
A licensed Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator removes the animals. A chimney company cleans out the nest, checks for damage and installs a cap. Call animal control if an animal is sick or has bitten someone.
What are the best chimney caps to keep birds and squirrels out?
A stainless steel or copper cap with fine mesh on all sides, properly sized and fastened securely to the flue or crown. Avoid cheap, loose-fitting caps that can rust or be lifted off.
Will the animals leave on their own?
Chimney swifts will, by early fall. Raccoon mothers usually move their young out once they’re around 8 weeks old. Trapped squirrels and birds that fell in usually can’t get out on their own.
Can I use the fireplace while birds are nesting?
No. Keep the damper closed and the fireplace unused until they’ve left and the chimney has been cleaned.
What if the animal seems hurt?
Contact Connecticut DEEP Wildlife Division or a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for advice. Don’t handle it yourself.
Get Your Chimney Cleaned and Capped
Once the wildlife is gone, Eversafe Chimney Experts can clean out the nest, inspect for damage and install a cap to keep animals out, for homeowners across Connecticut, including Bridgeport, Stamford, Hartford and New Haven. Our technicians are CSIA certified, licensed and insured, and we’ve served homeowners for 10 years. Our chimney inspection is $69 and covers up to a Level 2 inspection, and same-day service is available.
Call (860) 846-4458 to book your cleaning, inspection and cap.
